Shirley Kay Darrow

NEWARK/SUN CITY, Ariz. - Shirley Kay Darrow, 77, passed away peacefully on November 2, 2021.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on November 17 in the Chapel at Bellevue Heights Church, 9440 W Hutton Dr, Sun City, AZ 85351.

A second memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on November 27 at Paul L. Murphy and Sons Funeral Home, 127 E Miller St, Newark, NY 14513 .

Shirley's ashes will come to rest in the Newark Cemetery in Newark, N.Y. 14513.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a charity of your choice.

Shirley was born in Neptune, N.J. on November 26, 1943. She was a graduate of Horseheads High School in Horseheads, N.Y., where she was on student council, a cheerleader and sang in the high school choir. She was a graduate of Churchman's Business School in Easton, Pennsylvania. On December 1, 1961, she married Richard (Dick) Lee Darrow and raised four wonderful children. In 1983, they purchased a Home in Newark, N.Y. and lived there until 2016. In 2010, they purchased their current home in Sun City, Ariz. Shirley retired from Newark-Wayne Community Hospital as Collections Manager.

Shirley cherished life and everyone she met. She adored her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In addition to being a caring daughter, sister, wife, mother, nana and friend, Shirley adored her loving husband Dick, whom she had known since the third grade. Her love for her family was unlimited. Shirley and Dick were involved in many activities. For 33 years, they loved sailing together and sailed all over Lake Ontario to many locations in New York State as well as Toronto, Kingston, the Thousand Islands and other ports of call in Canada. Shirley loved dancing and delighted in attending the concerts at both Sun Bowl and Sun Dial in Sun City. She enjoyed putting puzzles together, doing circle word and was an avid reader and loved mysteries. She would often go to the recreation centers to walk in the walking pool. Shirley tried line dancing and would frequently sit with others who couldn't dance, to talk while they listened to the music. Biking, golf cart rides and people watching, were also among the things she very much loved. Shirley tried her hand at ceramics, and with help from her good friends she made several items that she brought home to enjoy. For the past two years, Shirley and Dick spent their summer at Sun Valley Campground in Arkport, N.Y. and visited their family who lived nearby.

She is survived by her husband of 59 years, Richard (Dick) Lee Darrow; four children, Kenneth Allan Darrow (Ursula), Kathy Lynn Darrow-Holla (Joe), Kim Marie Francis (Chad), Kelly Ann Dir (Chris); two siblings, Betty (Crofutt) Colosi and Gwenn (Crofutt) Clark; brothers-in-law, Jay (Janet) Darrow and Jim (Nancy) Darrow; sister-in-law, Georgann (Allan) Darrow; nine grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, friends and neighbors, who also loved her dearly.

Shirley was preceded in death by her father, Kenneth Franklin Crofutt; mother, Ruth Winifred (Ballard) Crofutt; father-in-law, J. Kenneth Darrow, Sr; mother-in-law, Alberta Mary (Magee) Darrow; brothers-in-law, Fred (Betty) Colosi, Rodney (Gwenn) Clark and Allan (Georgann) Darrow.

www.murphyandsonsfuneralhome.com